Police want to hear from people in their communities

Communication and consultation: Police feel that regular contact between officers and members of the community will help keep crime rates low.

Police want to hear from people in their communities.

People can raise concerns through community safety precinct committees.

The committees provide opportunities for residents and local councils to meet with police local area commanders and share their perspectives on crime and public safety.

Their purposes are to ensure police commanders are communicating with their local communities; to encourage community partnerships to reduce crime and the fear of crime; and to develop local solutions to local crime.

Successful committee strategies improve public safety, reduce the fear of crime and increase understanding of the relationship between police work and crime reduction.

"The committees provide opportunities for community members and business owners to get involved in strategies designed to address local concerns," a NSW Police spokesman said.

"They also provide opportunities for commanders to promote accurate local crime information and raise awareness of crime prevention approaches."

Police officers could also use such committees to participate on broader concerns such as the protection of homeless people and the promotion of cultural diversity.

Closer community ties have already contributed to growing trust between the police and people, who have had a history of poor relations with police, the spokesman said.

"These committees ensure commanders take into account local community views on police visibility, police deployment and crime hotspots when deciding police tasking and deployment," he aid.